Felon found with 25 guns hidden in Snohomish house

A Snohomish felon is accused of building a secret room in his house to hide a cache of firearms he isn’t supposed to have.

The man, 44, was arrested Thursday after police found 25 guns in his house.

Some were kept in the secret room, with felt-lined display cases, special lighting and a poster of Marilyn Monroe. “When you moved the poster to the side, you would then see all of the guns on display,” Police Chief John Flood said.

The room was about four feet wide. The entrance was hidden behind a bookshelf that slid open along a rail.

The man is being investigated for being a felon in possession of firearms, which is another felony. He was released Friday after posting $20,000 bail.

He was banned from owning guns in connection with a 1997 weapons offense in the Monroe area. He served time in federal prison for owning a sawed-off shotgun and another gun with an altered serial number, Flood said.

The weapons found in his home included semi-automatic handguns and rifles. There was a loaded revolver tucked underneath the man’s mattress, according to the arrest report.

The man reportedly told investigators that the guns belonged to his father, and that he only “worked on them,” according to the arrest report. His father does not appear to live at the home.

Detectives are trying to find out how the man got the weapons. Police discovered the cache while serving a search warrant after receiving a tip.